Discontinuation of statins among patients with type 2 diabetes

Patients starting statins after the initiation of oral anti–diabetic treatment are more likely to discontinue treatment than patients who initiate statins before the start of oral anti–diabetics.

Methods

The authors report an observational cohort study among patients initiating treatment with statins prior to or after initiation of oral anti–diabetics between 1999 and 2007.

Patients were classified as starting statins prior to initiation (Prior users) or after initiation (After users) of anti–diabetics.

Discontinuation was defined as an interval of 180 days or more between the theoretical end date of a statin/anti–diabetic prescription and the dispensing date of the next statin/anti–diabetic prescription.

The authors included 3323 starters with oral anti–diabetic drugs in their study; 2072 patients initiated statins in the period of observation.